Snow Again..........

It started snowing right after the rain last night.  It rained for a long time.  Looked out at 10:00 pm and it was dropping snow out of the sky abundantly.  We may have had 6 inches or more it is hard to say.  The very strong winds in the night moved things around a lot. I was out shoveling this morning and the windchill is about 10 degrees F.  It is very cold.  I thought they really shouldn't make school kids walk and wait in this weather.  When I came inside my wife said school has been cancelled.  I was suppose to work today for a sick science teacher. 

I really am sorry to show you more snow photos.  I am getting discouraged with it.  I do know that February can be our worse month in the winter time here in Iowa.  I am glad I don't have to go to school today and can avoid going out into it.

The white of the snow can be a good clean looking color but the dark branches against the snow makes a great photo to see.  This shrub did not bloom last year so here is hoping it will this spring.

I am going to identify this bird with stripes as a pine siskin.  I am not certain but I find it funny that I just said to a fellow blogger that we never have them in our area.  The photo is not good but it is best of the siskin but not the junco.  Today that feeder is covered with snow and I had to take my shovel and clear it.  I was thinking the pine siskin was a smaller bird but I really have not been familiar with them.  I sure know that it is not a sparrow.

The living room is all put back together now with it being totally Christmas decoration free.  There is one lone ornament sitting on the coffee table that I found on the floor while we dismantled the tree.

We box up the figurines into the same boxes as the angels and manger scene are stored into, so we do switching from year round display to the Christmas display.  The figurines are not really arranged as I just quickly pulled them from the box and set them in a row.

The print is of a painting by Nita Engle.  She is a Minnesota artists who we have admired for years.  The painting reminds us so much of an area we use to visit north of Grand Marais, Minnesota along the north shore.  There is a swamp lake next to the shore of Lake Superior and off in the distance is a remnant of an old log cabin.

Our oldest son bought me a Christmas present of lighting equipment to use when I take still life photos.  I don't have the thing all set up but I did try out just one light.  It is suppose to shine through a cloth causing a light that is  diffused.   I have lots of good examples that show it really helps but I will spare all the photos for now.

The shot of the African violet is so much improved over my back lighted ones that I have been taking.

Another day off will be good.  I do go back to work tomorrow so it will be a fun day for me today.  I have lots of chores but I have been getting things done already.   The day looks bright outside but the cold snow on the ground and the wind chills do help define a "worse than it looks" kind of day.

I know a lot of my blog friends are experiencing different weather than normal.  I hope all can stay safe and warm.  Thank you for stopping by today.